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UN OKs military action to oust al-Qaida in Mali, but also makes demands
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Security Council on Thursday authorized military action to wrest northern Mali from the control of al-Qaida-linked extremists but demanded progress first on political reconciliation, elections and training African troops and police.

A resolution adopted unanimously by the U.N.’s most powerful body stressed that there must be a two-track plan, political and military, to reunify the country, which has been in turmoil since a coup in March.

The Security Council authorized an African-led force to support Malian authorities in recovering the north — an area the size of Texas — but set no timeline for military action. Instead, it set out benchmarks to be met before the start of offensive operations, beginning with progress on a political roadmap to restore constitutional order.

The resolution also emphasizes that further military planning is needed before the African-led force is sent to the north and asks Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to “confirm in advance the council’s satisfaction with the planned military offensive operation.”

U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said recently he does not expect a military operation to begin until September or October of next year.

Mali was plunged into turmoil after a coup in March created a security vacuum. That allowed the secular Tuaregs, who have long felt marginalized by Mali’s government, to take half the north as a new homeland. But months later, the rebels were kicked out by Islamist groups allied with al-Qaida, which have now imposed strict Shariah law in the north.

Coup members created new political turmoil earlier this month when they arrested the country’s prime minister — a move that raised new concerns about the ability of the Malian military to take part in the operation to retake the north. The Security Council strongly condemned the Malian security forces for their continued interference in the work of the transitional authorities, and stressed the need to expeditiously restore democratic governance and constitutional order.

Watchdog groups urge US to probe $12M in tea party contributions
WASHINGTON — Two election watchdog organizations on Thursday urged the Justice Department and Federal Election Commission to investigate more than $12 million in campaign contributions that were mysteriously funneled through two little-known companies in Tennessee to a prominent tea party group. The origin of the money, the largest anonymous political donations in a campaign year filled with them, remains a secret.

The watchdog groups said routing the $12 million through the Tennessee companies appeared to violate a U.S. law prohibiting the practice of laundering campaign contributions in the name of another person.

They also said the lawyer in Tennessee who registered the companies, William S. Rose Jr. of Knoxville, may have violated three other laws by failing to organize each company as a political committee, register them as political committees and file financial statements for them with the government.

Pakistani polio workers get police protection after 9 others are killed
LAHORE, Pakistan — Under police guard, thousands of health workers pressed on with a polio immunization program Thursday after nine were killed elsewhere in Pakistan by suspected militants who oppose the vaccination campaign.

Immunizations were halted in some parts of Pakistan and the U.N. suspended its field participation everywhere until better security was arranged for its workers.

The violence risks reversing recent progress fighting polio in Pakistan, one of three countries in the world where the disease is endemic.

The Taliban have denied responsibility for the shootings. Militants have accused health workers of acting as spies for the U.S., alleging the vaccine is intended to make Muslim children sterile.

Marine court-martialed for urinating on bodies is sentenced to 30 days
WASHINGTON — A Marine court-martialed for urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters and posing for pictures with them in Afghanistan has been sentenced to 30 days confinement, reduced in rank, fined and ordered to forfeit part of his pay for six months.

The Marine Corps announced Thursday that Staff Sgt. Joseph W. Chamblin pleaded guilty before a military judge. He admitted to wrongful desecration, failure to properly supervise junior Marines, and posing for photos with battlefield casualties.

The matter came to light with the disclosure in January of a video showing four Marines urinating on the bodies of three dead men in July 2011. A criminal investigation ensued.